More than One Road to inf luence in Pacific

Australia Prime Minister Scott Morrison did not mention China in his foreign policy speech about the southwest Pacific last week but it was clearly on his mind. He has belatedly decided that Australia must do more to balance the growing influence of China in the island nations of the southwest Pacific. In fact, the speech candidly admits the Coalition has taken the region ‘‘for granted’’.

The Herald welcomes increased commitment to the region but it should be done without provocatively assuming that China is a strategic aggressor. Security hawks argue China’s loans under its One Belt One Road initiative are designed to enslave the region in debt and warn, for example, that a new wharf in Vanuatu built with Chinese money could potentially be a naval base.

On the other hand, China could also be viewed as a useful partner in developing the region. Morrison promised to establish a A$2 billion infrastructure bank to provide preferential loans to Australia’s Pacific neighbours, offering an alternative to China. If he really wants to safeguard Australia’s influence, some basic diplomacy might also help. Environment Minister Melissa Price’s insulting claim that Kiribati’s concern about climate change was ‘‘always about cash’’ is a case in point.

Australia must show it is genuinely interested in the southwest Pacific, including the threat posed by rising sea levels.